Councillors took just 10 minutes to turn down a scheme for 12 affordable homes on land next to Shavington Lodge.

Shavington councillor Steven Edgar (Con) said he believed if this was approved then there could be further houses in the pipeline.

He also pointed out there was no pavement outside the proposed development, it is on a blind corner and the traffic in the mornings ‘is very heavy and generally exceeds the speed limit’.

“Affordable housing to me means families, families mean children and children need schools,” said Cllr Edgar. “The primary school is over capacity. In my own village in Weston, the primary school there is over capacity. There would be no way children could walk to school, they’ll have to be driven.”

He added: “The whole thing I think, is not needed, not required."

Crewe councillor Jill Rhodes (Lab) said: “I think we should support affordable housing but, like Cllr Edgar, I am worried about the suitability of this housing and what might happen if permission is granted, that there might well be more houses put forward.”

The southern planning committee refused the application on the grounds the development failed to preserve the settings of Shavington Hall and Shavington Lodge, which are Grade Two listed buildings, and because insufficient information was submitted to enable the full impacts of the development to be assessed.